U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Hungary just days before Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces a major election challenge on April 12, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said. Vance’s office has not confirmed the trip. Orbán, seeking a fifth consecutive term, is trailing in polls and is being challenged by Péter Magyar and the center-right Tisza party, who promise to restore democratic checks and strengthen ties with Western allies. The announcement follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent visit to Budapest, where he publicly backed Orbán.
JD Vance Expected in Hungary Days Before Orbán’s Toughest Election Test, Foreign Minister Says
Vice President JD Vance speaks at EDSI Cables, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Auburn Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Hungary in the days leading up to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s most difficult election contest in two decades, Hungary’s foreign minister said Friday. Vance’s office has not yet confirmed the trip.
The nationalist Orbán, who has governed since 2010 and is seeking a fifth consecutive term on April 12, faces an unprecedented challenge from the center-right Tisza party and its leader, Péter Magyar. Most polls show Orbán trailing, and he has launched a nationwide campaign tour to try to regain momentum.
What Officials Are Saying
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, speaking on a podcast, said the visit “stems from the very intensive Hungarian–American intergovernmental relationship.” He did not provide a specific arrival date for the vice president.
Vance’s potential trip would come shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Budapest last month, during which Rubio publicly endorsed Orbán’s candidacy. Orbán is one of former President Donald Trump’s most vocal supporters in the European Union and has actively courted Trump’s favor ahead of the vote; Orbán had previously said he hoped Trump would travel to Hungary before the election.
Opposition’s Message
Péter Magyar and the Tisza party have campaigned on promises to rebuild democratic institutions that critics say have eroded under Orbán and to realign Hungary more closely with Western allies. Magyar’s challenge has tested what many saw as Orbán’s firm hold on power, introducing uncertainty into a campaign that had seemed predictable in past cycles.
It remains unclear whether Vance’s visit, if confirmed, would include public events or meetings with Hungarian officials. U.S. officials have not elaborated on the purpose or timing of the trip beyond Szijjártó’s comments.
Note: Vance’s office has not confirmed the trip, and details about any meetings or schedule were not provided.
AP writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
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